No.J-11015/435/2006-IA.II(M)
Government of
Ministry of Environment & Forests
Paryavaran Bhawan,
C.G.O.Complex,
Dated:
To
Head of Department Env./CE(Civil),
Environment Department,
M/s Western Coalfields Ltd.,
Coal Estate, Civil Lines,
Sub: Sasti
Expansion Opencast Coal Mine Project (production from 1.60 MTPA to 2.50 MTPA
and lease area from 714.09 ha to 919.69 ha) of M/s Western Coalfields Ltd. (WCL),
located near village Sasti, Tehsil Rajura, District Chandrapur, Maharashtra -
environmental clearance – reg.
Sir,
This
has reference to letter No. 43011/145/2006-CPAM dated 29.11.2006 of Ministry of
Coal forwarding your application on the above-mentioned subject. The Ministry
of Environment & Forests has considered your application. The proposal is for expansion in production from 1.60 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 2.50
MTPA and lease area from 714.09 ha to 919.69 ha. Of the total lease area, 899.49
ha consist of agricultural land and 20.20 ha is wasteland. No forestland is
involved. A township exists at a distance of 5.5 km from mine site. There area
no National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuary, Biosphere Reserves found in the 10 km
buffer zone. Of the total lease area, area for excavation is 344 ha, 235.30 ha
is for OB dumps, 35.52 ha is for infrastructure including CHP, 15 ha is for roads,
24 ha is for railways, 50 ha is for greenbelt, 91 ha is safety zone, 46 ha is
area for rationalisation and 78.87 ha is undisturbed (for future excavation). River
Wardha flows at a distance of 2.5 km from the ML boundary. Gouri nalalh, a
tributary of River Wardha, flows along the 3 sides of the lease boundary. The
project involves modification of the natural drainage by strengthening of a
seasonal nallah flowing within the ML. Project does not involve R&R. Mining
will be opencast by mechanised method. Expansion
of the annual rated capacity of the
mine is from 1.60 MTPA to 2.50 MTPA of coal production. Mineral
transportation of 7500 TPD of coal
is by road involving 1500 coal trucks from CHP. Ultimate working depth of the
mine is 150 m bgl. Water table is in the range of 0.60 m – 7.40 m bgl in the
core zone and upto 13m bgl in the buffer
zone. Mining has intersected water table. Peak water requirement is 1050 m3/d,
which is to be met from mine pit water. Of the total OB generation, 31.33 Mm3
of OB is already accumulated in five external
2. The
Ministry of Environment & forests hereby accords environmental clearance
for the above-mentioned Sati Expansion Opencast
Extension Coal Mine Project of M/s WCL
for expansion in production of coal at 2.50 MTPA rated capacity involving a total
lease area of 919.69 ha under the
provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006 and subsequent amendments thereto and under Para 2.1.1 of MOEF Circular
dated 13.10.2006 and subject
to conditions specified below:
A. Specific Conditions
(i) Mining
shall be carried out as per statuette at a safe distance from the Gouri nallah/Wardha
river flowing close to the lease boundary.
(ii) The
embankment to be constructed along the seasonal nallah shall be of suitable
dimensions and stabilised with plantation so as to withstand the peak water
flow and prevent mine inundation.
(iii) Topsoil shall be stacked properly with
proper slope at earmarked site(s) and should not be kept active and shall be
used for reclamation and development of green belt.
(iv) OB should be stacked at the earmarked five
external
(v) Catch drains and siltation ponds of
appropriate size should be constructed to arrest silt and sediment flows from
soil,
(vi) Dimension of the retaining wall at the
toe of the dumps and
(vii) Drills should be wet operated only.
(viii) Controlled blasting should be practiced with
use of delay detonators. The mitigative measures for control of ground
vibrations and to arrest the fly rocks and boulders should be implemented.
(ix) High efficiency bag
filters/water sprinkling system to check fugitive emissions from crushing
operations, conveyor system, haulage roads, transfer points, etc. shall be
installed and operated effectively at all times of operation.
(x) An area not less than 451.65 ha shall be brought under
afforestation which includes reclaimed external OB dump (235.30 ha), backfilled
area (166.35 ha), along ML boundary, along roads & infrastructure, green belt (50 ha), and area in township located
outside the lease by planting native species in consultation with the local
DFO/Agriculture Department. The density of the trees should be around 2500
plants per ha.
(xi) A
Progressive Mine Closure Plan shall be implemented by reclamation of quarry
area of which 166.35ha shall be backfilled and afforested by planting native
plant species in consultation with the local DFO/Agriculture Department. The
density of the trees should be around 2500 plants per ha. The balance 63 ha of
decoaled void which is being converted into a water reservoir, shall be gently
sloped along the upper benches, terraced and reclaimed with plantation. The
outer periphery of the water body shall be fenced.
(xii) The
company shall obtain prior approval of CGWA/CGWB Regional Office for use of
groundwater if any, for mining operations.
(xiii) Besides carrying out regular periodic health
check up of their workers, 10% of the workers identified from workforce engaged
in active mining operations shall be subjected to health check up for
occupational diseases and hearing impairment, if any, through an agency such as
NIOH, Ahmedabad within a period of two years and the results reported to this
Ministry and to DGMS.
(xiv) A Final Mine Closure Plan
along with details of Corpus Fund should be submitted immediately upon receipt of EC to the Ministry of
Environment & Forests RO,
(xv) For
monitoring land use pattern and for post mining land use, a time series of
landuse maps, based on satellite imagery (on a scale of 1: 5000) of the core
zone and buffer zone, from the start of the project until end of mine life
shall be prepared once in 3 years (for any one particular season which is
consistent in the time series), and the report submitted to MOEF and its
Regional office at Bhopal.
(xvi) Consent
to Operate shall be obtained before expanding mining operations in the
additional lease area and for the enhanced rated capacity after fulfilling the
conditions imposed in the NOC.
B. General Conditions
(i)
No
change in mining technology and scope of working should be made without prior
approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
(ii)
No
change in the calendar plan including excavation, quantum of mineral coal and
waste should be made.
(iii)
Four
ambient air quality monitoring stations should be established in the core zone
as well as in the buffer zone for SPM, RPM, SO2 and NOx monitoring. Location of the stations should be decided
based on the meteorological data, topographical features and environmentally
and ecologically sensitive targets in consultation with the State Pollution
Control Board.
(iv)
Fugitive
dust emissions (SPM and RPM) from all the sources should be controlled
regularly monitored and data recorded properly. Water spraying arrangement on
haul roads, wagon loading, dump trucks (loading and unloading) points should be
provided and properly maintained.
(v)
Data
on ambient air quality (SPM, RPM, SO2 and NOx) should be regularly submitted to
the Ministry including its Regional Office at
(vi)
Adequate
measures should be taken for control of noise levels below 85 dBA in the work
environment. Workers engaged in blasting and drilling operations, operation of
HEMM, etc should be provided with ear plugs/muffs.
(vii)
Industrial
wastewater (workshop and wastewater from the mine) should be properly
collected, treated so as to conform to the standards prescribed under GSR 422
(E) dated
(viii)
Vehicular
emissions should be kept under control and regularly monitored. Vehicles used
for transporting the mineral should be covered with tarpaulins and optimally
loaded.
(ix)
Environmental
laboratory should be established with adequate number and type of pollution
monitoring and analysis equipment in consultation with the State Pollution
Control Board.
(x)
Personnel
working in dusty areas should wear protective respiratory devices and they
should also be provided with adequate training and information on safety and
health aspects.
Occupational
health surveillance programme of the workers should be undertaken periodically
to observe any contractions due to exposure to dust and to take corrective
measures, if needed.
(xi)
A
separate environmental management cell with suitable qualified personnel should
be set up under the control of a Senior Executive, who will report directly to
the Head of the company.
(xii)
The
funds earmarked for environmental protection measures should e kept in separate
account and should not be diverted for other purpose. Year-wise expenditure
should be reported to this Ministry and its Regional Office at
(xiii)
The
Regional Office of this Ministry located at
(xiv)
A copy
of the will be marked to concerned Panchayat/ local NGO, if any, from whom any
suggestion/representation has been received while processing the proposal.
(xv)
State
Pollution Control Board should display a copy of the clearance letter at the
Regional Office, District Industry
Centre and Collector’s Office/Tehsildar’s Office for 30 days.
(xvi)
The
Project authorities should advertise at least in two local newspapers widely
circulated around the project, one of which shall be in the vernacular language
of the locality concerned within seven days of the clearance letter informing
that the project has been accorded environmental clearance and a copy of the
clearance letter is available with the State Pollution control Board and may
also be seen at the website of the ministry of Environment & Forests at http://envfor.nic.in.
3. The
Ministry or any other competent authority may stipulate any further condition
for environmental protection.
4. Failure
to comply with any of the conditions mentioned above may result in withdrawal
of this clearance and attract the provisions of the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986.
5. The
above conditions will be enforced inter-alia,
under the provisions of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act,
1974, the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
along with their amendments and Rules.
(Dr.T.Chandini)
Director
Copy
to:
1. Secretary, Ministry of Coal,
2. Secretary, Department of Environment,
Government of
3. Chief Conservator of Forests, Regional
office (EZ), Ministry of Environment & Forests, E-2/240 Arear Colony,
Bhopal – 462016.
4. Chairman, Maharsashtra State Pollution
Control Board, Kalapataru Point, 3rd & 4th Floors,
Sion, Matunga Scheme Road No. 8, Opp. Cine Planet Cinema, Near Sion Circle,
Sion (E), Mumbai – 400002.
5. Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board,
CBD-cum-Office Complex,
6. Member-Secretary, Central Ground Water
Authority, Ministry of Water Resources, Curzon Road Barracks, A-2, W-3 Kasturba
Gandhi Marg, New Delhi.
7. Shri M.K. Shukla, CGM, Coal India Limited,
SCOPE Minar, Core-I, 4t Floor, Vikas Marg, Laxminagar,
8. District Collector, Chandrapur, Government
of
9. EI Division, Ministry of Environment &
Forests,
10. Monitoring File 10. Guard File 11. Record
File
(Dr.T.Chandini)
Additional Director